Umbrella construction



April 1, 1969 s. VANZlNl 3,435,836

UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION Filed June 20, 1967 Sheet I of 2 I PRIOR ART INVENTOR SERGIO v wzmr ATTORNEY s. VANZINI UMBRELLA CONSTRUCT ION April 1, 1969 filed June 20, 1967 FIG-4 FIG- 3 INVENTOR SERG O VANZ IN v I 1 I ("A ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1969 3,435,836 UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION Sergio Vanzini, Via Vetere 10, Milan, Italy Filed June 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,412 Claims priority, application Italy, Sept. 27, 1966, 22,840/ 66 Int. Cl. A45b 19/04 U.S. Cl. 135-22 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An umbrella comprises 'a plurality of ribs pivotably mounted to the upper end of a rod carried within a tube, a slide within the tube and slidable on the rod, a plurality of stays each pivotably mounted at one end of the slide and at its opposite end to one of the ribs, a sleeve movable axially along the outer surface of the tube, a bridge coupling the sleeve to the rod so as to move the latter and the slide axially therewith, and a limit limiting the further movement of the slide after a predetermined movement of the rod, to thereby effect the opening of the umbrella by causing the downward pivoting of the ribs and stays.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to umbrellas which may be used for protection against rain or sunshine. The invention may also be embodied in large umbrella constructions for use on the seashore.

Description of the prior art Many different types of umbrella constructions are known but, for the most part, they suffer from one or more of thefollowing drawbacks: they are frequently difficult to open because of the hardness of the closing spring and/or the small distance between the stays and the umbrella ribs; they are difiicult to close in high wind; they require a substantial space to open and close them, which is frequently inconvenient when the opening or closing is effected in densely populated areas or when entering or exiting from a motor vehicle; if wet before closing, they tend to retain the waterwhich drips when the umbrella is closed; the application and removal of the outer sheathes, which are commonly used, are inconvenient operations, and if such sheathes are not used, they do not present a neat and compact appearance in the closed condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention enables the construction of umbrellas which avoid most or all of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

According to the invention, there is provided an umbrella construction comprising a plurality of ribs pivotably mounted to the upper end of a rod carried within a tube, a slide within the tube and slidable on the rod, a plurality of stays each pivotably mounted at one end to the slide and at its opposite end to one of the ribs, a sleeve movable axially along the outer surface of the tube, a bridge coupling the sleeve to the rod so as to move the latter and the slide axially therewith, and a limit limiting the further movement of the slide after a predetermined movement of said rod, to thereby effect the opening of the umbrella by causing the downward pivoting of the ribs and stays.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a known umbrella construction, in the closing movements thereof being shown in broken lines;

FIG. 2 illustrates an umbrella constructed in accordance with the present invention, the broken lines showing the closing movements thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational View, partly in section, of one form of umbrella constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along lines IV-IV of FIG. 3 but showing several parts (e.g. sleeve 18 and ribs 7) in a moved position, and another part (rim 19) of a modified construction;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification to the umbrella construction of FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIGS. 6 10, are diagrammatic views schematically illustrating the opening movements of the umbrella shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference first to FIG. 1, there is shown an umbrella 1 constructed in accordance with the prior art. To close this umbrella, the ribs must be pivoted downwardly as shown in broken lines in that figure. FIG. 2 illustrates an umbrella constructed in accordance with the invention, wherein the closing of the umbrella is eiiected by pivoting the ribs upwardly as shown in broken lines in that figure. The details of the latter construction which enable this mode of closing (and opening, by an opposite movement) are shown in the remaining figures of the drawings.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes a tube 2 telescopingly receiving a rod 3 formed with a pointed upper end 4 and a collar 5 of conical shape. A slide 6 in the form of a sleeve is disposed at the upper end of rod 3. The umbrella ribs 7 are pivotably mounted to the collar 5 and radiate about the longitudinal axis of rod 3 and tube 2. At an intermediate point 8 on each rib 7, there is pivotably mounted one end of a stay 9, the opposite end of the stays being pivotably mounted to slide 6. Ribs 7 are adapted to carry the umbrella covering material (see FIG. 2) and their upper free ends carry knobs or buttons 10 as in conventional umbrellas.

The lower end of tube 2 is closed by a removable cap 11 to which is afiixed a loop 12; for use in carrying the umbrella or suspending it from a support. Cap 11 is pressfitted to the tube, but it may be applied] by a bayonette attachment, threaded attachment, or other conventional attaching means. The tube is formed with an axial slot 13 and with widened portions or notches 14 and 15 at opposite ends.

An annular sleeve 18 is provided on tube 2, the sleeve having a short bridge 22 extending through slot 13 in tube 2. The notches 14 and 15 at the ends of the slot 13 receive bridge 22 when the umbrella is in the closed and open condition, respectively.

The upper end of tube 2 is open and is reinforced by a beaded sleeve or rim 19, which is made of tough ma terial having a very low coeflicient of friction, such as nylon or Teflon (Reg. TM). The rim 19 may be aflixed by means of rivets (19", FIG. 5), by screw-threads, by glue, or may be integral with the upper end of the tube. FIG. 3 shows rim 19 applied to the inside of the tube, and FIG. 4 shows it applied to the outside.

The lower end of rod 3 includes a sleeve 21 forming a cylindrical portion or piston in slideable contact with the inside surface of tube 2. The bridge 22 is secured to cylindrical portion 21 of the rod 3 and to outer sleeve 18 so that the rod moves with the sleeve. The cylindrical portion 21 is rotatable on rod 3 but is not axially slideable thereon, being limited by a pair of cotter pins 21 or the like. The lower end 24 of slide 6 is also formed with a cylindrical portion snugly engaging the inner surface of tube 2, so that the movement of rod 3 is positively and smoothly guided within the tube. A resilient element 23, in the form of a rubber band or the like, is interposed between the lower end of rod 3 and the lower end of the tube. More particularly, it is afiixed between cap 11 and rod 3, and is adapted to be tensioned upon raising the rod, for a purpose to be described below. In addition, a spring 25 is interposed between slide 6 and collar of rod 3.

Tube 2 is preferably of circular cross-section but may also be of polygonal cross-section. It is of such dimension, both in cross-section and in length, to receive within it the ribs 7, the umbrella covering material (not shown in FIG. 4) carried by the ribs, the rod 3, the stays 9, and the slide 6, in the closed condition of the umbrella.

FIGS. 6-10 illustrate the movements of the umbrella from the closed to the open condition. In the closed condition of the umbrella (FIG. 6), it will be seen that the ribs are disposed substantially co-axially of the tube 2 with their pivotable ends (i.e., those pivoted to collar 5) below their free ends (i.e., those carrying the buttons which is the opposite condition in the conventional umbrella. The stays 9 are also substantially co-axially of the tube 2, the pivotable mountings 8 of these stays being above the pivotable mounting of the ribs 7, which again is opposite to the condition in the conventional umbrella.

When the umbrella is to be opened, sleeve 18 is rotated slightly to unseat bridge 22 from notch 14 and is then moved upwardly, which causes rod 3 also to move upwardly. The upper free ends of the ribs 7 pass through the open upper end of tube 2 (FIG. 7), until the condition is reached (as shown in FIG. 8) wherein the upper end of slide 6 abuts the thickened rim 19 of the upper end of tube 2. Further raising of sleeve 18 causes rod 3 and the pivotable mountings of ribs 7 also to rise further, but slide 6 containing the pivotable mountings for the stays 9 cannot rise further because of rim 19, the latter serving as a limit limiting the further movement of the slide after a predetermined movement of the rod has been attained, and the condition illustrated in FIG. 9 is reached where the umbrella is fully opened. It will be seen that in this condition the pivotable mountings (collar 5) for the ribs 7 have been raised so as to be above the pivotable mountings 8 of the stays 9 to the ribs 7.

During this opening movement of the umbrella, rubber band 23 has been tensioned, so that as soon as sleeve 18 is released, this band will pull the sleeve and rod 3 downwardly a short distance (FIG. 10). The resilience of this member is not suflicient to close the umbrella but 1s merely sutficient to apply a slight tension to the push rod 3 and thereby to stiffen the umbrella parts in the open condition. The umbrella is locked in the open condition by rotating sleeve 18 to seat bridge 22 in the upper notch 15. Other locking and releasing means could of course be provided.

To close the umbrella, sleeve 18 is rotated to unseat bridge 22 from notch 15 and is then moved downwardly. The parts will be moved in the reverse manner described above to the fully closed condition of the umbrella as shown in FIG. 6.

Instead of tension element 23 for stiffening the umbrella in the open condition, FIG. 5 illustrates the use of a compression spring 23 disposed between the lower end of rod 3 and the lower end of slide 6, which accomplishes the same purpose. in addition, the pointed end 4 on rod 3 is slightly longer in the construction of FIG.

5 than in that of FIG. 4-.

It will thus be seen that the new umbrella can be easily opened and closed since it does not require overcoming a hard closing spring. In addition, a large amount of space is not needed in order to close the umbrella, and it may even be easily closed under a strong wind. The tube 2 could be provided with a number of openings to facilitate the drying of the umbrella covering material, should it have been closed in a wet state. It is also possible to use an umbrella of this kind as a walking stick, by merely substituting a handle or a large knob for cap 11 and loop 12. In this case, the rim 19 would be made of very strong material to support the weight of the user, and an end cap may be provided at that end for closing the interior of the tube, the end cap being removable when the article is to be used as an umbrella.

Many further changes, variations and applications of the illustrated embodiments of the invention may be made within its scope as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An umbrella construction comprising a tube, a rod telescopingly received in said tube, a plurality of ribs pivotably mounted to the upper end of said rod and radiating about the longitudinal axis thereof, said ribs carrying the umbrella covering material and being disposed within said tube substantially coaxially of said rod with their pivotable ends below their free ends in the closed position of the umbrella, a slide slidably mounted on said rod within said tube, a plurality of stays each pivotally mounted at one end to said slide and at its opposite end to one of said ribs, a sleeve movable axially along the outer surface of said tube, a bridge connecting said sleeve to said rod, said tube being formed with an axial slot through which said bridge moves while the sleeve moves along the outer surface of said tube to move said rod and slide therewith, and a limit limiting the further movement of said slide after a predetermined movement of said rod, effecting the opening of the umbrella by causing the downward pivoting of said ribs and stays.

2. An umbrella construction as defined in claim 1, wherein said slide is disposed, in the closed condition of the umbrella, on said rod proximate to the upper end thereof but slightly below the pivotable mounting of said ribs, there being a spring interposed between said slide and the pivotable mounting of said ribs, the upward movement of the slide during opening of the umbrella being limited by the upper end of said tube.

3. An umbrella construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower end of said rod includes a cylindrical portion forming a piston in slideable contact with the inside surface of said tube.

4. An umbrella construction as defined in claim 1, wherein a resilient element is interposed between the lower end of said rod and the lower end of said tube and is adapted to be tensioned upon the raising of said rod.

5. An umbrella construction as defined in claim 1, wherein a resilient element is interposed between the lower end of said rod and the lower end of said slide and is adapted to be compressed upon the raising of said rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 18,500 10/1857 Crosby -19 269,846 1/1883 Geisler 135-22 498,224 5/1893 Baskerville 135-19 601,096 3/1898 Hager 135-22 629,460 7/1899 Nagell 135-19 2,492,376 12/1949 Brillas 135-20 X 3,156,249 11/1964 Biderman 135-20 PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner. 

